McEwen wins, Carey and Overton-Clapham lose in Canada Cup openers

Mike McEwen started his Canada Cup of Curling on a winning note, while Chelsea Carey and Cathy Overton-Clapham both lost their openers in Moose Jaw Wednesday afternoon.

McEwen defeated Newfoundland’s Brad Gushue 8-2, Carey lost 7-4 to Calgary’s Crystal Webster and Overton-Clapham lost 8-5 to Ontario’s Sherry Middaugh as all three Winnipeg teams saw their first action at the Canada Cup.

File photo of skip Cathy Overton-Clapham

Both Carey and Overton-Clapham fell behind quickly and never recovered -- Carey was down 3-0 after just two ends, while Overton-Clapham was down 5-0 after two ends.

McEwen and Gushue, meanwhile, were locked in a 2-2 tie through five ends when McEwen finally broke the game open with what proved to be a controversial three-ender in the sixth end.

McEwen’s three-ender was set up when Gushue’s final stone of the end was removed for a hogline violation. The 2006 Olympic gold medallist made multiple appeals to Canadian Curling Association representatives that the hogline detection lights on the offending stone were functioning improperly.

The game was delayed while the rock was tested and the violation was upheld when the rock was found to be functioning properly.

McEwen returns to the ice on the 7 p.m. draw Wednesday when he takes on Ontario’s Glenn Howard (0-1).

History

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